


i’ll make this feel like home

by southernsraiders



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Zuki Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28375410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/southernsraiders/pseuds/southernsraiders
Summary: hello loves ! for today’s prompt of zuki week 2020, kyoshi warrior, i took a bit of inspo fromthis artwork of zuki in kyoshi makeupand my overarching hc that izumi is suki’s to bring you a bit of fluff as a treat ! i hope you enjoy and lmk your thoughts !
Relationships: Suki/Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 21





	i’ll make this feel like home

**Author's Note:**

> hello loves ! for today’s prompt of zuki week 2020, kyoshi warrior, i took a bit of inspo from [this artwork of zuki in kyoshi makeup](https://www.instagram.com/p/CHBUzDIjfkr/?igshid=1x6kei5l4txkw) and my overarching hc that izumi is suki’s to bring you a bit of fluff as a treat ! i hope you enjoy and lmk your thoughts !

“That’s it Izumi!” Suki called to her much younger sparring partner, extending a hand to help her up off the ground. She had been watching Izumi for a little over a week now while her father was at a summit in the earth kingdom. Even though Izumi was almost thirteen years old at this point, Zuko insisted that Suki come watch her every time he went away on business, just as she always had. Over the years, she had taught Izumi almost everything she knew about hand to hand combat, and over this trip they had begun working on fighting with Suki’s weapon of choice, fans.

“Thanks Aunt Suki.” Izumi replied, smiling as she brushed her clothes off and delicately folded up the set of fans Suki had lent her. They had been going at it for a few hours now, and Suki had promised her a break after the round. Suki smiled as the young girl crossed the courtyard to get some water. She was a talented fighter, and was already exceptional with the fans. Even though she wasn’t a bender, she trained with Zuko all the time over the years, and Suki saw a lot of her father’s fighting style in Izumi’s technique.

“Princess Izumi? Lady Suki?” A servant called, approaching her. Despite Suki having no royal ties, Zuko insisted that she was addressed as Lady by everyone in the palace. “The Firelord has returned.”   
  
Sure enough, there he stood. He wore his formal attire, and smiled at both of them from the steps leading to the courtyard. 

“Dad!” Izumi yelled, running into his open arms.

“Zumi!” He replied, hugging her. Suki smiled at both of them.

“How was your week?” He asked her.   
  
“Amazing!” She replied, smiling enthusiastically. “Aunt Suki and I spent all week together! We had tea, she did her warrior makeup on me, we played games, and she even taught me how to fight with her fans!”    
  
“Really? Zumi, that’s amazing?!” He replied.   
  
“I know, right?! You should watch her fight, she’s incredible!” She said.

“Oh I’ve seen Aunt Suki fight, Zumi. I fought in a war with her, remember?” He replied, chuckling.   
  
“Oh, yeah.” Izumi said, her face flushing. Zuko laughed and hugged her once more before she skipped off to the bench where her fans rested.

“Sounds like you had a good week.” Zuko said, turning to her.   
  
“Oh we did.” Suki replied. Zuko opened his arms and Suki met his embrace. “You should see her fight some time, Zuko. She’s incredibly gifted, reminds me of you.”

“Kee…” He said, his face flushing.   
  
“It’s true!” She insisted. He chuckled, and turned his attention back to his daughter. She had picked up the fans again and was working through different positions.    
  
“Wow, she is good.” He said, gaping at her. Suki laughed.    
  
“I told you!” She said smugly.

“She must have a great teacher.” 

Since Zuko had been away for a week, he got the rest of the day off from meetings and work, so the three of them spent the rest of the day together. Suki wasn’t supposed to leave the fire nation for another week, and since things were calm for Zuko for a while, they spent a lot of time together, sparring, having tea, and playing games, although Zuko refused the offer of warrior makeup. On Suki’s last scheduled day in the Fire Nation, they sat in the courtyard, watching Izumi go through her stances with the fans.   
  
“How am I doing Aunt Suki?” Izumi asked, turning to where they sat.

“Great job Izumi! But tilt your left fan just a little more- there you go!” Suki replied enthusiastically.   
  
“Thanks!” The girl replied. Izumi shot her a smile which Suki returned, before turning back to her stances. Suki glanced back at Zuko, who regarded her in a way she couldn’t quite describe. His face was riddled with sadness and nostalgia in a way, but Suki couldn’t quite determine why.

“You look upset.” She noted, reaching over and resting a hand on his thigh. “What is it?”   
  
“This is all wrong.” He said, shaking his head. “She shouldn’t be calling you  _ Aunt _ , she should be calling you  _ Mom _ .”   
  
Suki’s heart rate increased at the mention of her deepest secret. Unknown to the general public of the Fire Nation, the identity of Izumi’s mother wasn’t as much of a mystery as they were led to believe, she belonged to Suki. When Suki found out she was pregnant, she and the other Kyoshi Warriors were supposed to be leaving the Fire Nation, so she and Zuko decided to keep it a secret from the people. She stayed in the palace long enough to give birth to the child, and once she was fully recovered from giving birth, and the child had a name, she left the Fire Nation as she was planned to, and never told anyone outside of the palace what had happened. That’s why Zuko had always asked her to watch over Izumi, because despite their agreement to keep Izumi’s true parentage a secret from everyone, including the girl herself, Zuko wanted them to have at least some relationship. 

“Zuko…” Suki started, looking into his deep, golden eyes, the same one’s their daughter had. “I made that choice years ago, there’s no hard feeling about it now.”   
  
“Not for you, maybe,” He said, sighing. “But seeing you two this week has made me realize everything you missed out on over the years, everything we missed out on as a family. I shouldn't have pressured you to leave when you did…”   
  
“Zuko.” She said firmly. “You did not pressure me to leave when I did. It was more my choice than yours, it just wasn’t right. We aren’t married, and we definitely weren’t back then, it would’ve been improper-” 

“To hell with being proper!” He exclaimed. “You should’ve been able to raise your daughter.”   
  
“I hold nothing against you Zuko, really.” Suki said softly. “I love Izumi, and I’m just thankful I’ve had as much time with her as I have had over the years.” She assured him. A silence fell over them, and Zuko looked off into the distance, deep in thought.   
  
“Stay.” He said suddenly, snapping his gaze back to meet her’s.

“What?” She asked, not sure if she’d heard him correctly.

“I don’t want you to lose another second with your daughter.” He said softly. “Stay here, with us. With  _ me _ .”   
  
“I don’t know…” Suki said, looking out at Izumi. Zuko took both of her hands. 

“Kee, please.” He pleaded. “She just chased off her last governess, and her own mother would be better than anyone else I could find. I want you here, I want us to be a family. See you two together makes me the happiest I’ve felt in years, and it’s getting harder to be on my own. I could use a companion, and maybe one day we could even tell her the truth.”   
  
“Wow.” Suki said, processing everything he just said. “Do you think I could handle it?”    
  
“I know you could.” He said. “Please, just for a little, it doesn’t have to be permanent.”    
  
“I’ll stay.” She said, smiling at him. He pulled her into his embrace and they stayed there for a while, and Suki already started to see this place as her home.   
  
Six months had passed, and Suki spent her days with Izumi and Zuko, when he was available. Spending time with Izumi was easy, she was intelligent, energetic, and like herself in a lot of ways. What became harder though, was spending time with Zuko. The longer she was here, the more those feelings for him, those that got them into this situation in the first place, returned and grew. Since he’d produced an heir so young, he’d never been married, but Suki couldn’t help but feel as if their time had passed.

She spent most of her time with Izumi, but she and Zuko had their fleeting moments when Izumi was busy. They’d taken to spending time together out on the balcony after dinner, when Izumi would go to the library to read or study. One night they stood on the balcony, and Suki decided once and for all she wouldn’t hide her feelings any longer.   
  
“Zuko,” She started, looking down at the railing. “There’s something I should confess.”   
  
“What is it, Kee?” He asked, glancing over at her.

“Being here, with you and Izumi, it’s… reminding me of how I felt around the time she was born.” Zuko shot her a puzzled glance, then his face fell.

“You want to leave again?” He asked softly.   
  
“No!” She replied. “Not it’s reminding me that… That, well… I love you, Zuko. That’s why that night happened in the first place, and that’s why I left. I was too scared of my feelings, so I left, but watching Izumi grow up and spending time together with the three of us has just reminded me how I feel. And- I know it took a while but I don’t think I’m afraid anymore-”    
  
Her ramble was cut off by Zuko pressing his lips to hers passionately, and she was so shocked by the kiss she almost backed out of it. His hands wrapped around her waist, and hers were quickly tangled in his hair.   
  
“I love you too, Suki.” He said breathlessly as they pulled apart. “I was so lonely, and a long time ago I realized it was because I didn’t have you. I missed you so much, and having you here has been incredible. Please- don’t leave again.”   
  
“I won’t.” Suki replied, smiling at him. “Not as I long as you want me.”

“Oh, I want you, Kee.” He said. “I think I always will.” Suki kissed him again, and they stayed together for the rest of the night.

The next day, the three of them had a whole open day together, and per Izumi’s request they spent it outside, sparring. Zuko dressed in a set of his plainclothes, but Suki decided to go all out and wore her Kyoshi Warrior uniform, makeup and everything. Upon her arrival to the courtyard, Izumi immediately started oohing and aahing over the uniform, and Suki told her she could try one on later if she liked.

They fought a few rounds in duos, then a few triples, then a training session. Suki brought an extra set of fans for Zuko, so she and Izumi spent some time together trying to teach him how to use them. He was pretty good, due to his skills with dual swords, and fighting with the three of them reminded her of her time with the warriors. They paused only for lunch, and afterwards Suki decided to get Izumi in her uniform as she’d promised.

The three of them sat in Suki’s quarters as Suki did Izumi’s makeup and offered her the uniform, and when Izumi was finished, Suki turned to Zuko.   
  
“What do you say, your highness?” She asked. “Would you like to try out the look as well?”   
  
“Fine.” He said, sighing. Suki and Izumi cheered and she got to work immediately. She quickly did his makeup and sent him off to get dressed.   
  
“I look ridiculous.” He said, stepping out of the closet where he’d gotten change.   
  
“I think you look great.” She countered, reaching over to adjust his headpiece, before quickly kissing himi.   
  
The three of them spent the rest of the afternoon and evening fighting, and Suki taught them the ways of being a Kyoshi Warrior. That night, after Izumi had gone to bed, Zuko appeared in Suki’s doorway.

“Today was really fun, Kee.” He said, approaching the bed where she sat and taking a seat next to her. “You did incredible.”   
  
“Thank you.” She replied, smiling. “You two are excellent students.”   
  
“We have a great teacher.” He countered. She laughed.

“She’s a good warrior, Zuko.” Suki said. “She’s levelheaded, quick on her feet.”    
  
“Maybe she’s following in the wrong one of our footsteps.” He teased.   
  
“No,” Suki replied. “I think she’s going to make an even better ruler one day.”   
  
“She’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.” He said. “She’s so passionate in everything she does, she’s going to do amazing things for this nation.   
  
“Well I guess that runs in the family, then.” Suki replied. Zuko smiled, and drew his lips to hers.   
  
“She’s a warrior, and a strong leader.” He noted as they pulled apart. A comfortable silence fell between them “How are you liking it here?”

“I love being here with you two.” Suki said. “Being with my family.”   
  
“Do you miss Kyoshi Island?” He asked.

“Sometimes.” Suki replied honestly. “But this, with you two, it’s starting to feel like…”   
  
“Like what?”   
  
“Home.”


End file.
